Gun-carriage or limber or ammunition-car.



No. 748.351. PATENTED DEC. 29, 1903. A. T. DAWSON 65 G- T. BUUKHAM. GUN CARRIAGE OR LIMBER OR AMMUNITION UAR.

APPLICATION FILED'MAR. 7, 1903.

NOMODEL.

. Q 1m $5 Q no N r m 1 m 4 Unrest STATES ATENT tries.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKIIAM, OF LONDON,

ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS SONS dz MAXIM, LIMITED, OF WEST- MINSTER, ENGLAND.

GUN=CARRIAGE OR LliViBER OR AMMUNlTlON-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 748,351, dated D b 29, 1903.

Application filed March 7, 1908.

in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Gun-Carriages and Limbers or Ammunition-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion has reference to go n-carriages and limbers or ammunition-cars, and our improvements are more especially, although not exclusively, applicable to light galloping carriages and limbers for Poinpoms, Maxims, or other machine-guns.

The chief object of the invention is to provide means whereby the equipment-i. c., the gun-carriage and limbers-can Z. easily taken to pieces to form suitable loads for transportby either man or beast and can therefore be taken through difiicultcountry and placed in positions which would he impracticable for ordinary wheeled carriages or limbers. In order that our invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, we will describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan of alight galloping carriage constructed in accordance with our invention for a Maxim R. O. gun. Figs. 2 and 2 are views of the splinter-bar in its folded position. Figs. 3 and 3 are a side elevation and a plan of the carriage-frame; and Figs. 4 and t represent the two parts of the draftpole in their connected and disconnected con- C is the axle, and

draft-pole E. The said girdersb are held to- 5o get/her by distance-pieces b and the under Serial No. 146.753. (No model.)-

side of said frame has jaws b, which fit over bearings 0, formed on the axle C, and which are secured to the same by hinged bars I)", held in place by cotter-s b or other suitable means. The said axle is also provided with the usual spigot ends to receive the carriagewheels, which are of ordinary construction. The draft-pole E is of wood protected by leather and copper bands e and 6, Figs. 4 and at, and it is made in two parts for easy transport. One ofsaid parts is provided with a socket c, and the other part is provided with a spigot c, and both of these parts are made with transverse openings for the reception of a cotter c", by which they are heldtogeiher. The end a of said pole is made to (it the socket b on the frame 13. Attached to the rear end of the said girders I) l) is a guidebracket L to which the splinter-mar D is fixed by means of a clip or jaw d/on the's'plinterbar and cotters (P or the like. The said splinter-bar is made of angle-steel and is furnishcd at its ends with hinged side stays d, which in Figs. 2 and 2 are shown in their folded condition. The axle O is of a circular cross-section and is provided in addition to the said bearings c c with other bearings c c, for the reception of clips or jaws d d on the hinged side stays d of the splinter bar. These clips or jaws d have hinged plates (1 for securing them to the axle, said plates being held in their securing position by bolts or cotters d. The said frame I is also provided with hinged distance-picces b b, which when opened or extended engage with the side stays d f the splinter-bar, to which they may be connected by pins or cotters, and thereby aid in imparting rigidity to the structure. At the end of the frame immediately under the draft-pole is a stay or prop which supports the carriage during firing, said stay or prop being temporarily secured in this position by a pin engaging with a hole b in the socket I) of the frame I) and a corresponding hole I) in a lug on the prop. The said stay or prop is 5 connected to the frame by a hinged bolt or pin 1) and can be housed between the girders by a chain during transport of the carriage. The various cotters and pins employed for securing the separable parts together are con- :00

nected to said parts by chains, so as to prevent their becoming mislaid or lost.

When our invention is applied to a separable galloping ammunition-ear or iimber, the space occupied by the gun is utilized to carry a row of cartridge-boxes.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. Inagun-carriageorammunition-car,the combination with the wheel-axle, of a detachable frame having a socket for the draft-pole and a hinged prop, a splinter-bar having hinged lateral members, means for detachably connecting, said frame to the wheel-axle, and means for detachably connecting said splinter-bar to said wheel-axle and to the said' frame substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In agun-carriage or ammunition-car,the comb nation with the wheel-axle having bearings, of a detachable frame having a socket for the draft-pole and ahinged prop, jaws on said frame adapted to engage with two of the bearings of the wheel-axle, hinged bars on said jaws, means for locking the same to the bearings, a guidebracket on said frame to receive a jaw on the splinter-bar, means for locking said jaw to said guide-bracket,hinged side stays on the splinter-bar adapted to engage with the two other hearings on the Wheelaxle and hinged distance-pieces on said frame for retaining said stays in their open or extended position substantially as described.

3. In a gun-carriage or ammuniti0n-car,the combination with the main frame having a socket, of a draft-pole made in two lengths which are capable of ready attachment or detachment substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 25th day of February, 1903.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON.

GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM.

Witnesses:

HENRY KING,

ALFRED PEAKS. 

